Marine
by Death and Destruction
Summary: A story of a marine as he progresses through the ranks and time. Chapter 4 up! Read/Review please!
1. Marked for death

Marine  
  
I guess I should have expected the letter, my dad being in world war 9 and all. Still, when it came, I was surprised and frightened. You see, I had heard about how the Korhal colonies were fighting against the loathsome Zerg and the despicable Protoss, but I, like everyone else, thought that it was something far away, that it would never come here. The UED government was going to try to send an expedition to the colonist's planets to help out and "show the flag", you could say. I was chosen to go on it. I had no skills, having been in deep depression since my family died. I guess that's another reason for it, because I had no family to speak of, they having all died in a crash while I was on my big homecoming trip. I had quit just about everything when that happened, and had been what most would call a burden to society. This was one of the main criteria that were used for the selection, although I didn't know that then. On the day of launch there was nearly everyone of that sector of Earth. Most of the people on the ships, like me had no one to care about and wish them goodbye. A few did, and I pitied those poor souls who were forced to leave there family, friends, - life behind for who knows how long. The ship launched with a resounding cry. My ears would ring for days to come with that sound. Once the ship left, the training began. I thought that kind of thing was illegal! We were fed gruel like substance that was filling as balls, but had no taste, or worse yet- a taste like tar. They had assigned us a drill sergeant which I am convinced they drug up from the darkest bowels of hell itself, as well. He had us running that mile-long ship daily! He would start us from the front, and if we didn't get to the mess hall (which was in the back of the ship) in time, we didn't eat. He called it "incentive". I called it torture. I got VERY hungry on several occasions. After that we got to us the guns. That was one part I enjoyed. Having no family or friends, I had to defend myself and hunt as well. The freaking guns aimed themselves though! I used to be able to field strip a rifle in 1 minute. It would take a week to take this thing apart, thought. I like the massive shell it fires, though. After training, we were put to sleep. This was so we would not understand or be active the years it would take to get to the colonies. I was just as glad, though. It meant that there would be no more gruel. SSSSHHHHTTT The door to the cyo-chamber opened, and I was plunged into wakefulness. "Rise and shine beauties, we're here" the sergeant bellows. I stumble around not nearly aware of what I'm doing. From what I can see, most of the people around me are the same way. We are shoved into the mess hall and fed a syrupy medicine, that if possible tastes even worse than the regular food. One thing it does do is wake you up, though. As I force it down my throat, I wonder what I am doing here, for the 50th time. "Let's go people; you maggots get to secure the beachhead! Aren't you lucky?" I cringed at the thought of it. Real Combat! This had been what we were training for, but I still was afraid. "Let's go people into the dropship!" As I climb aboard, I wonder if I will be one of the 75% of marines that die in their first combat. 


	2. First Blood

Chapter 2: First blood  
  
"Come on, let's go, let's go" I run out of the dropship and see... A field of death. My stomach curls. There, before me is a sight so horrific I will never see worse in all my life. Body parts are everywhere. The sounds of shouts and screams are all that can be heard. To the left I see a marine being torn apart by zerglings. He screams briefly as they rip off his head. Then nothing. The sound of shells can now be heard. Siege tanks are adding there firepower to the scene. Suddenly I am pushed from behind. My sergeant had smacked me. He yelled in my face "Son, this is no time to freeze! Those are the enemy and if you don't start shooting them right now, I will be the thing you fear most!" I pick up my rifle, and as if in a dream I see a hydralisk running toward me. I point the gun and squeeze the trigger. I watch almost in astonishment as the rounds rip through its skull, puncturing to the brain and other important parts. It scrams, an unearthly howl, and then drops. The fighting is more sporadic now; most of the enemy has been killed. I see SCV's starting up a base. The sergeant's hand wakes me from the dream- like state. "Well boy that was damn good shooting. Congratulations, you've survived your first combat." He shakes my hand, and I feel better. Already the sight before me is beginning to look more normal. I feel that I will be better off now. 


	3. A Real Taste

Chapter 3: A real taste  
  
  
"Hoorah" The shout was heard all throughout the makeshift camp as the command center was finished. The Massive structure had taken long enough. I had been nervous all throughout the construction. From what I had heard listening to the officers' portion of the mess, the officers that were allowed to see the classified tapes of the colonists struggling against the zerg, the time before the command center was completed was the hardest, and most dangerous of any planetary assault. We had all heard the stories about the zerg's larger units, and how they could level a regular base is seconds, much less a makeshift camp like the one we had built. We had more protection than most, though because of the massive amount of orbital bombardment that had occurred around the surrounding area and the area we were standing on. I had personally used on of the deeper craters to make my foxhole. We were not ordered to do so, but after I had observed the veterans of the small skirmishes at the outposts (which I had not taken part in) digging like moles, I figured it was a good idea. (Later I find out I would be more correct than I thought.) Now the SCV'S are preparing to build our first barracks, and bunkers. Damn, I am glad I wasn't drawn for that duty. All day in that hot suit, doing the same thing over and over again, I would rather be a marine, and have a death to live ratio of 3:1! Anyways, now the bunkers are built and I am getting my assignment. The bunker that I was assigned to was bunker 7. Yes! I was hoping for that bunker. That bunker was the last ditch bunker. Put there to protect the SCV's, and to keep the loathsome aliens from nearing the command center. That bunker is rarely used, so the marines in there get as much booze as they want!! Yes!  
As I am partaking of the aforementioned booze, it happened. I hear the alarm go off and I almost piss in my half-drunk pants. This shouldn't be happening! We had the outposts to stop any enemy assault! The loudspeaker starts blaring "Red alert, Red alert, We are now under attack by a massive alien force. I repeat, we are under attack by a massive alien force. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. Head to your red alert defense stations immediately. I drop the can and squint out of the slits in the bunker, and what I see almost makes me puke. A titanic wave of zerglings is headed strait toward the camp. I watch as they are chewed up by the fire coming from the bunkers. Even after they hydralisks come in, they don't last long against the combined might of the bunkers and the siege tanks. I am about to call this one stopped and pick up my beer when IT came.   
This thing was massive! When I first saw it I could barley believe what I was seeing. The creature dwarfed even the thickly plated bunkers we used! On four legs, it resembled an elephant, except no ears and the tusks… They were huge. I think what another squad mate called them after the battle suits them best "Huge, unholy instruments of destruction." These blades sliced through a bunker like it was plywood, not reinforced titanium! "What is that thing" I barley manage to gasp. "A-An U-U-Ultralisk." The officer in the bunker stammers. I watch in horror, as, after it goes through the bunker wall, it slices through one of the marines in there like it was carving a turkey, except much more gruesome. The officer in the bunker recovers first (I guess that's why he got to be officer) and starts barking out orders. "You," (he points at a marine) "go and get one of the vultures to lay some mines in its path, you" (points at another marine) "go and call the fleet. Tell them we will need a pin-point bombardment around here soon. You" (He points at me) "Go and tell the SCV's to get over hear." I barley hear him, being to transfixed at the destruction that it is causing. Then I hear the worst thing in the world right then… "Here it comes" I run to tell the SCV's before it gets close enough "SCV's Get your ass over here and get in the bunker before it eats you!!" As they rush toward the bunker, I see it catch up to one. I don't want to tell you what happened next.   
As I turn away from the gruesome sight, I see my bunker officer waving me to run to the bunker. After what I had just seen, I needed no second invitation. I jump in as fast as I can. The officer shouts, "Good job, all of the SCV's are in, except for that one. Now, we have some mines laid, so when it steps on them, we are going to kill it! Do you see that black dot on the sand?" "Yessir" "Good, now when I give the order, I want you to shoot it. That will set off the mines, and kill that thing. Are you ready?" "Yessir" Actually, I was overwhelmed with fright. What if I missed? I couldn't bear to think of that. I aimed at the dot. I waited for the signal. "FIRE!!"   
Time seemed to slow down. I swear that I saw the bullet streak towards the dot. BOOOOM!!! The shot hit, and at least 10 mines went off at once. The creature was not able to take it, and blew into a million pieces. "Good shooting, son." 


	4. counterthrust

Chapter 4: Counter-thrust  
  
  
"Good shooting, son" I hear the congratulations of all my comrades, but I barley acknowledge them. I am still paralyzed with fear of the final sight I had had of that creature- sun glinting of the needle-sharp blades, hell-bent on destroying the bunker and having me for lunch. The creature was now dead, blown into a million pieces lying strewn around (and in) the base. Suddenly, the PA went off, telling us all to report to the command center.   
"All right, men, here's our assignment: we are to attack one of the Zerg hives in this sector, to help secure this sector for oncoming landings. Without the hive, the Zerg in this sector will be fighting without a base, and will not be as organized. The mission has been assigned to alpha, bravo, and echo squads. This mission will execute at 0500. Bravo. My squad. I was to go on this mission. Darn it, I had just got done defending this colony. I was under orders, though. I numbfully trudged back to my quarters, and waited until, blessfully, sleep took me.   
"Wake up beauties! Let's go! Time to kill the Zerg!" I had hoped beyond hoping that the mission would have been canceled before I got up. No such luck. I lurch out of bed and into my armor. One good thing, the armor. I have seen it save a dozen lives. "Lets go, into the transport" I head into the same transport as the other marines in my Bravo squad, when I hear a rumbling in the distance. I look back and see- Seige tanks. I guess Echo was a tank squad. Well, that's one good thing about this mission. I guess that I get some fire support. I had heard of some missions that were launched without any fire support. The transport starts zooming off.  
"All right men, let's go, let's go, let's go!" I head out of the transport and immediately notice the ground; it was a thick, gooey substance that stuck to my shoes. I felt it clinging at me. I only noticed that for a moment, though, because before me was a slaughter-fest. Wave upon wave of marine was falling to the massive amount of enemy units. I see a large structure plunge a tentacle-looking thing into the ground, and suddenly the thing came up under the legs of the marine next to me, impaling him. He lets out a final scream before he dies. I, not wanting to share the same fate, pick up my gun and start shooting. In front of me, 5 zerglings are heading right at me. I aim, fire. One of the zerglings head explodes into a pile of bloody parts. I watch the next one; two explode as my shots hit it. Another shot, another dead zergling. The other two fall before my unrelenting fire. I look around for other targets. What! I see two of those things… those… ultralisks. 2!! The marines in alpha squad begin firing madly at them, but to no avail. The creatures take the hits and keep coming. A lucky shot hits one in the eye, but although blinding it, it still does not stop. I begin firing madly at them too, but my shots are no better than the others. I stare on in horror, as I can do nothing as the creature kills my fellow marines. I then here the most beautiful sound in the world at that time- the hydraulic sound of siege tanks in siege mode. The tanks were bringing into play the one thing we had that could affect the ultralisks- what most marine and siege tank driver loving refer to as the "big gun". The guns start firing and not even the ultralisk can stand against 12 of them. The other, though ran to the minimum range for the tanks and started attacking. The blades tear the tanks to shreds. I realize that if those tanks die, we all die. I had to do something to save my skin. I decide to make it mad.   
Running up, I take one of the grenades they give us, switch it to "stick" mode, and attach it. I then run back and fire into it nearly point-blank range. Then the grenade exploded. The ultralisk, sensing who had put the grenade on it, turned around and started to chase me! Well of course I ran. I ran like a bat out of hell! As I was trying to keep my butt in one piece attached, the ultralisk, following me ran out of the minimum range. You know what that means… Boom!! The ultralisk explodes into a pile of juicy wetness.  
With the immediate threat to my life ended, I was now free to go after the larvae in the main portion of the zerg hive. I started shooting them while the tanks pounded the buildings. Altogether, 6 out of the 48 marines assigned to this attack survived. I wondered how long my luck would last…  
When I got back to base, I was ordered to come to the command center. Little did I know what was in store for me there… "Private Guy, due to exemplary courage under fire, and the fact that you saved the lives of several men in your platoon in acts of heroism above and beyond the call of duty, we now award you the UED Cross, for courage under fire, and quick thinking. Also, due to you leadership qualities, we are hereby promoting you to the rank of corporal. You will be issued an officer's pistol, new quarters, better food & pay, and perdite flame throwers. Congratulations, you are now a Firebat." 


End file.
